Sprints..Big Deal

[Liquid Cobra]

Today I was watching a YouTube video about a well used SuperBlue Caly 3 and it got me thinking. What were people's reactions to the news of the SuperBlue sprints at the time? Did it blow you guys away or was it just kind of cool? It's such a unique knife with the combination of the handle material, colour, steel, model etc. I don't think many other companies would release a knife like that. I'm not sure if SuperBlue was being used in folding knives or fixed blades at the time but I have to think it was pretty exciting news. I would have loved to be a member of this forum when it was announced.

If you take a second to reflect, what would you say was your most exciting Sprint Run or dealer Exclusive announcement and why.

For me it would be..

Sprint: Para-Military 2 CF S90V/154CM

I got wind of this sprint here on the forums and I immediately jumped into full search mode. I contacted my local shop before they had even heard about it. I waited weeks for it to come in and I snagged one of 3 they had received. It was my most expensive Spyderco purchase ever and still is. Unfortunately I messed up the sharpening job on it and then sold it. I regret messing it up and I regret selling it. It still hurts to talk about it!

Exclusive: Knifeworks Yojimbo 2 CF S90V

Like many of you I preordered the first day that you could, I set my alarm really early as I live on the west coast so that I wouldn't miss out. I thought for sure that it would be sold out in minutes or hours. It was a lot of fun, the anticipation and all that. It's times like that when I enjoy this forum the most.

I never thought the Yojimbo would receive the variation treatment like that. Maybe an all black version someday at the most like Evil D keeps wishing for and like the PPT got. It's one of my favourite designs so I was very eager to get my hands on a peel-ply carbon fiber version. It felt like a chance at redemption after I messed up my PM2 version. I'm happy to say I didn't mess up the edge on my Yo2, and it is razor sharp and still a major part of my collection.

I have plenty of other sprints and exclusives that I've tracked down after the fact that would have blown my mind when they were announced but I'm more interested in hearing about the ones you were around for. Go!

[Holland]

For me the most exciting and/or longed for was the dragonfly SB, the Caly3 SB, and if this thread was made a couple years ago I would have been more than excited about the M4 para 2 sprints

[Evil D]

The only sprint I got real excited over so far was the S90V Yojimbo 2. The others were either before my time or I just wasn't paying attention. I tend to not get caught up in sprint hype easily.

[Nate]

I have only been around Spyderco for a couple years, but most of the stuff I have is sprint or disco'd.

More or less accepted that I'm a bit of a collector :) I like to rotate/use nearly all, but there's really no other excuse for having twenty-some otherwise. Honestly a lot of it is as much for the different scale colors/materials as the steels, (although I am sort of collecting steels as well).

My first ever Spydie was the dealer exclusive blue Persistence.

Got on board with the 2013 Native/ K390 Mule bundaroo.

Tracked down a 2nd hand but nib Caly 3.5 in SB and made it an occansional user.

Got super lucky and found a bnib Caly 3 in SB on sale from a dealer late last year and set is aside as a back-up.

Earlier stumbled on a 154/s90v Para 2 at the same dealer for a good price and figured I'd better buy it 'cause I'd never see a new one again from a vendor under msrp.

Was super excited about the Cruwear Millie, but never could use it over my Lefty. I eventually traded it, but not until after I picked up the Cruwear Manix, which I like waaaay more than I ever thought I would.

So that's a few. I plan to get the Forum Native tomorrow b/c everyone here is awesome and it's burgandy. Probably will end up with a hap-40 Delica as well b/c I like orange and don't have any orange Spydercos yet.

[SpyderNut]

It's funny, but I don't really seem to recall the release of the Superblue Caly 3 Sprint very well. I imagine I was probably just too enamored with too many other new Spydies at the time to notice. Haha! I dunno'. :o

My most anticipated Sprint? Hmmm. There are many to choose from... I'd probably have to say most recently it was the Orange Dodo and Blue Lava. I'm also very much looking forward to the Lil' Lum too. :D

[Surfingringo]

My biggest blunder was passing on the cruwear Millie. Actually, I knew about the knife before it was announced and I was in the process of purchasing my first millie at the time. Several folks advised me to wait on the sprint, (it was only a couple of weeks away) but I was impatient. Then when it came out I couldn't really justify it since I had just bought an s30v model. Even now I would like one but have passed on recent opportunities because I have two millies now that don't get enough use as it is.

So I guess what I'm saying is I wasn't really excited about the cruwear military sprint when it came out...but I should have been. :)

[dubya3]

The only one I've seen announced is the Hap40 endura and delica and that was in the catalog (maybe I need to open my eyes more). I'm really disappointed I wasn't around for either the CF/S90V or CF/S90V/154 PM2 sprints as I'm a CF sprint addict now and although I've managed to track down a Manix XL CF and Native 5 CF fairly easily and cheap, that PM2 is my grail. Actually any PM2 sprint is up there but the CF/S90V is the one.

BTW there are still Stretch and Manbug SuperBlues in stock for $110 and $55 if you are looking OP.

[Surfingringo]

The only one I've seen announced is the Hap40 endura and delica and that was in the catalog (maybe I need to open my eyes more). I'm really disappointed I wasn't around for either the CF/S90V or CF/S90V/154 PM2 sprints as I'm a CF sprint addict now and although I've managed to track down a Manix XL CF and Native 5 CF fairly easily and cheap, that PM2 is my grail. Actually any PM2 sprint is up there but the CF/S90V is the one.

BTW there are still Stretch and Manbug SuperBlues in stock for $110 and $55 if you are looking OP.

hey dubya, you know that Knifworks is coming out with a cf/s90v Military with titanium frame lock right? That should be right up your alley. :)

[gbelleh]

Pretty much all the Para 2 sprints and exclusives. Also, the 2013 forum knife was a pretty exciting day.

[tvenuto]

There have been a number of sprints/exclusives that I've made sure not to miss, in particular the CF/S90V Manix XL and Yo2 exclusives from KW. However, I would have to say that I was most excited for the previous green/S110V forum knife. I was totally unique with the diamond milling, and it was my first forum knife. So that was the one I was most hyped up about. Luckily, it did not disappoint, and remains one of my favorite spydies to this day. The F&F is stellar, and it has the forum story behind it.

I'm going to add 2 more categories: the one I regret missing the most, and the one that I love the most but wasn't really excited about initially.

The one I regret missing the most was probably the orange PM2. It was insanely affordable when released, and I do love me some orange. Not willing to pay secondary market prices on that one, and I hold out hope that CS will do another run (even though I'm pretty sure they've said they won't). I could obviously get orange scales made, but there's something about a knife coming stock from spyderco that seems important to me.

The one sprint that surprised me is definitely the Nishijin R. It was my first sprint run, and I was mostly intrigued by the handle material, and the exclusivity of the sprint run. I had just gotten bitten by the Spydie, and just missed the blue PM2 exclusive, so felt the need to not miss out again if I was vaguely interested. It turned out to be one of my favorite Spyderco designs and I'm so glad it came out when it did because I probably wouldn't have jumped on it later in my collecting experience.

[HarleyXJGuy]

My biggest blunder was passing on the cruwear Millie. Actually, I knew about the knife before it was announced and I was in the process of purchasing my first millie at the time. Several folks advised me to wait on the sprint, (it was only a couple of weeks away) but I was impatient. Then when it came out I couldn't really justify it since I had just bought an s30v model. Even now I would like one but have passed on recent opportunities because I have two millies now that don't get enough use as it is.

So I guess what I'm saying is I wasn't really excited about the cruwear military sprint when it came out...but I should have been. :)

I just missed out on the Cruwear Sprint but was trying to buy one from Jim but was to.slow. Thanks to Doug I have one now. So for past Sprints my choice would be that.

Upcoming is with no doubt the 204P Millie. Love my 204P Para 2 so of course the same thing Military style is a win for me.

Here you go SG.

[JAfromMN]

Love the sprint's

I'm going to try replace my stolen c44 dyad.

Something I'm lucky to do because spyderco is cool enough to offer sprints of odd ball knives for us picky knife nuts who need a special steel or certain model blade.

[Surfingringo]

Following tvenuto's lead, the exclusive that I wasn't too excited about but ended up really loving was the pe lil Matriarch from BBS. Love that knife!!

[MacLaren]

I truly regret not getting the Cruwear Millie.
However, Ill be all over the 204P version...

[HarleyXJGuy]

I truly regret not getting the Cruwear Millie.
However, Ill be all over the 204P version...

I am sure you will love it.

What is the hold up Sal? With my Cruwear off being pimped I need some Sprint Millie to fondle.

[The Mastiff]

Spyderco has done so many firsts for production knives I've lost count. Trying to list everything they have done would take me a long time and a lot of typing and I no doubt would still miss a few dozen. Every year there is more firsts to add the list. IMO , the mule team is still one of the most notable projects.

My favorite? Probably still the Cruwear millie. There are at least 5 tied for second place .

[Liquid Cobra]

Funny that everyone loves the cruwear Millie so much. I was around for that one but I don't remember people being so psyched. Maybe it just seemed that way. I remember when they arrived at my local shop that I passed on it because I wasn't sure I wanted a military and I couldn't really afford it. I watched them sell out on the website one by one until they were gone. I think they sold all 10 in about 2 hours. Missed opportunity. A month later for some reason they received more and I couldn't pass it up. I snagged one just in time for Xmas. Glad I did I love that knife.

[tap78]

For me the most exciting knifes that I bought where Orange CTS-XHP Paramilitary 2 from CS and CF/S90v Manix2 XL from KW. I'm still glad that I didn't hesitate to buy them as one of the first... but there are two of the sprints that I regret I didn't catch. First is CF/ZDP189 Stretch - when it hit the shelves I wasn't aware that it is a sprint/short production run (and what is a sprint run) and bought at that time camo Military. The second one is Cruware Manix2 in excellent price (~130$) from KW. I was waiting for it since it was announced but that day when they showed up i took a 30-minute nap and when I woke up - the first batch was gone...

[farnorthdan]

I love the super blue sprints, I was a little late on the calys so my first was the manbug, I immediately knew I needed them all, got the lady bug, dragon fly and stretch pretty easy, then started trying to find the others. The delica and Endura I got from BBS first and paid a pretty penny for them, BBS still had the caly 3 but was having a hard time stomaching their price and held off for a while but soon realized they were my only chance so bit the bullet and got their last one I think and now am very glad I did. I'm still on the hunt for the 3.5 but it's not looking good.

Most anticipated resent drops were the CF YO2 and cruwear Manix 2, I liked the manix2 so much I bought 2.

I've decided to not pass up any new/future sprints and decide later whether to keep them or not.

[Brock O Lee]

I missed the first superblue Caly 3.5 sprint. I remember there was some excitement among a few (informed) people, but my impression was that many did not know or did not care much about it at the time. Once the word about its performance was out, I made sure I got a superblue Caly 3. They were released about a year (or two?) after the 3.5. Both the 3.5 and 3 runs sold out within a few weeks IIRC.

The sprints I was most excited about were the long discontinued ones... I had to hunt them down on the secondary market.

S90V Military (used)
M4 Military (NIB)
M4 Manix (NIB + Krein regrind)

I wasn't excited about the prices I paid for the NIB versions, but such is life. :)